InFO
Information for Operators
U.S. Department
of Transportation
Federal Aviation
Administration
InFO 15002
DATE: 2/10/15
Flight Standards Service
Washington, DC
http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/airline_operators/airline_safety/info
An InFO contains valuable information for operators that should help them meet certain administrative, regulatory, or
operational requirements with relatively low urgency or impact on safety.
Subject: Implementation of cold temperature altitude corrections at “Cold Temperature Restricted
Airports” found in Notice to Airmen Publication (NTAP)
Purpose: This InFO provides operators with information on recent changes related to cold temperature
altitude corrections. It also contains the effective date for mandatory compliance of cold temperature
altitude corrections at “Cold Temperature Restricted Airports.”
Background: In response to recognized safety concerns over cold weather altimetry errors, the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) completed a risk analysis to determine if current Title 14 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (14 CFR) Part 97 instrument approach procedures in the United States National
Airspace System (NAS) are at risk during cold temperature operations. The study used the coldest
recorded temperature for the airport in the last five years and specifically investigated if there was a
probability that expected altitude errors in a barometric altimetry system, during these non-standard day
operations, could exceed the Required Obstacle Clearance (ROC) used on procedure segment altitudes.
Discussion: As a result of the analysis, Cold Temperature Restricted Airports have been designated in the
NAS. The list of airports, the segment(s) of the approach requiring cold temperature altitude correction
and associated operating procedures may be found at www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/notices
NTAP, Part 4. Graphic Notices, Section 1. General - Cold Temperature Restricted Airports. The list of
affected airports is also available as a PDF on the bottom of the FAA Digital Products, “Terminal
Procedures Search Results” page, http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav/digital_products/
dtpp/search.
Mandatory compliance with these procedures will be in effect Sep 17, 2015.
A
-XX°C icon will be incrementally added to airport approach plates, beginning Mar 5, 2015. The
icon indicates a cold temperature altitude correction will be required on an approach when the reported
temperature is, “at or below” the temperature specified for that airport. The one exception to this
procedure is Chicago Midway Intl (KMDW). Only operations to 22L and 22R will be affected. Altitude
corrections will not be required on any approach to any other landing runway at KMDW.
The affected airports list should be reviewed to determine relevance to each operator’s operations
(airports), as well as which segment(s) of associated approaches will require an altitude correction.
Temperatures for Cold Temperature Restricted Airports are completely separate from the temperatures
published on area navigation (RNAV) approaches. Temperature restrictions on RNAV approaches for
lateral navigation (LNAV)/vertical navigation (VNAV) minima must be followed, even if it is warmer
than the temperature associated with the “snowflake” icon.
Distributed by: AFS-200
OPR: AFS-470
Sections of the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) which address cold temperature altitude
corrections have been revised to reflect these changes.
Pilots must understand they will be responsible for applying altitude corrections and must advise Air
Traffic Control (ATC) when these corrections are to be made on the intermediate and/or missed approach
segment. However, advising ATC of planned altitude corrections in the final segment is not required. Air
Traffic Control is not responsible for making any altitude corrections and/or advising pilots that an
altitude correction is required at a restricted airport.
FAA Actions:
1. December 11, 2014: Published Notice to Airmen Publication (NTAP)
www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/notices Part 4. Graphic Notices, Section 1. General - Cold
Temperature Restricted Airports.
2. January 15, 2015: Revised NTAP, changing “must” to “should” in various sections.
3. Mar 5, 2015: Begin publishing icon on approach plates for cold temperature restricted airports.
4. July 2015: Provide updated cold temperature restricted airport list and reminder of mandatory
compliance beginning Sep 17, 2015.
5. Sep 17, 2015: Publish updated NTAP with mandatory language.
Operator Actions: Operators of aircraft, Directors of Safety, Directors of Operations, Chief Pilots,
dispatch supervisors, fractional ownership program managers and training managers should:
1. View Notice to Airmen Publication (NTAP) www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/notices Part
4. Graphic Notices, Section 1. General - Cold Temperature Restricted Airports.
2. Understand the procedure required at Cold Temperature Restricted Airports and consider how
to accomplish any necessary personnel training.
3. Beginning Sep 17, 2015, apply mandatory cold temperature altitude corrections at cold
temperature restricted airports.
4. Operators conducting international flights should review if and how relevant foreign States
(e.g., Canada) address this issue,
Contact: Questions or comments regarding this InFO should be directed to Kel Christianson, Aviation
Safety Inspector, AFS-470 at (202) 267-8838.
Distributed by: AFS-200
OPR: AFS-470